The attic is probably one of the most compact and occupied spaces within a household especially when you need to be cleaning your attic. It is often utilised as a haven to store various amounts of unneeded or unwanted ‘things’. With not needing to access these ‘things’ often, those within a household therefore have no incentive or need to regularly go into the attic. As with anything that has not been attended to for a lengthy period of time, there can be various surprises when it’s come to the dreaded moment of cleaning.

Here at London Cleaning System, we have prepared a short and concise ‘list’ of what to expect when cleaning your attic and if you hire cleaning services to really tackle the mission of your attic.

Dust and Then Some…More Dust

Dust is the common foe. No matter what you do, it always accumulates. Chances are there is going to be a lot of dust in your attic. Before dealing with it head on, make sure you wear an air filtration dust mask to avoid determinedly breathing it in. Likewise, wear old clothes or an apron to prevent yourself from getting overly dirty.

Additionally, take with you a handheld hoover as well as a long sweeping brush and dustpan. Start cleaning from top down, use the sweeping brush to dust the ceiling/beams and then hoover the attic floor. Also you will notice various spider-webs thus also use the brush to get rid of them. We recommend a handheld hoover because it can understandably be very difficult to take a wired hoover in the attic, especially if there are no accessible electrical sockets.

Photo credit: nito/Shutterstock

The Hoarder in Crisis

Five to ten years ago you left numerous amount of items in the attic, with the forward-thinking notion: “I may need this in the future”. The future came and in the present you're thinking: “I may still need this”, despite not touching or using it once during its lengthy duration in the attic. Change your mind-set. Be truthful to yourself. If you know deep down you’re not going to need or use it again, then throw it away.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing. Think of the space you will gain by getting rid of all the unnecessary things. For instance, getting more room to manoeuvre and reducing the risk of serious injury or falling. One recommendation before starting the sorting process is to create different piles consisting of keep, recycle, donate and bin for all the items in the attic. Through creating such categories, it will make going through items less time-consuming and more efficient.

Moreover, when putting all the ‘keep’ items back, ensure you clean everything with a dry or damp cloth to get rid of any dust and spider-webs.

Photo credit: Dora Zett/Shutterstock

Mould in Motion

When cleaning, ensure you inspect the the whole attic for any mould. Mould signifies that their is a moisture problem in your attic. Cracked caulk, small roof leaks or poor ventilation are often the main causes of mould in attics.

Depending upon the severity of the mould, there are different approaches as to how you could effectively deal with it. The first action in any scenario would be to suffocate the source of moisture. Whether that be through fixing the leak or eliminating clutter around the attic to improve air circulation. The next stage would be to hoover the affected areas and then loosen any remaining mould with a stiff stern brush. The last stage would be to specifically use mould-inhibiting paint to paint over all affected areas.

If you feel uncomfortable, suffer from health problems or think that there is an excessive amount of mould - then use an accredited and trusted professional to deal with it.

Photo credit: Burdun Iliya/Shutterstock

Discovery of Rent-Free ‘Guests’

If your attic has a lot of holes and cracks - then some bugs, insects and rodents will inevitably will find their way in. With attics providing warmth and shelter in abundance, it provides them with the perfect environment to thrive in. As a result, you could surprisingly find yourself in the position of having to live with unwanted guests, who leave their unhygienic messes behind. These guests can also cause unpleasant odours and if your attic has insulation, aggressively shred or tear through it.

Carefully using reputable repellents and sprays to be handle bug and insect infestations maybe be an adequate solution but to tackle rodent problems, it may be more complicated thus require expertise of trained professionals.

Photo credit: wavebreakmedia/Shutterstock

Conclusion

The prospect of cleaning the attic can feel daunting, but it doesn’t have to be. It just needs a focused approach and some organisation. After you have cleaned it once after a long time, make an active effort to regularly clean it. In doing so, it reduces the unwanted risk of having to deal with nasty and unexpected surprises.